Maniac Cop 3 - Badge of Silence
Seeing as the man with the magnificent chin (which sounds like a great film title in itself), Rober Z'Dar, died yesterday, I thought it was about time I gave the final instalment of the Maniac Cop series another watch, having not seen it for over twenty years.
It all begins well enough, with the rubbish "shock" ending to Part 2 (Matt Cordell's hand smashing out of his coffin and grabbing his badge) being nicely explained away as the doings of a voodoo priest holed up in an abandoned church. Then we get the return of Robert Davi, fresh from the previous film, but now wearing cowboy boots, lengthy sideburns, and a fedora.
Investigating a voodoo related murder, Davi gets a bit testy when a female cop is shot in the line of duty (the drug addict gunman played by a very young and seriously untalented Jackie Earle Haley). A heavily edited version of the incident, deliberately designed (for some completely unknown reason) to make it look like she was a trigger happy lunatic, is leaked to a local news station by two chaps with a camera (think Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler, but with insanely strong Noo Yoik accents and really badly acted).
It seems that the voodoo priest has raised Cordell to right the injustices of the city by killing criminals and general all round naughty types, but instead Cordell falls in love and decides to kidnap the female cop to make her like him. Of course, lots of baddies get their comeuppances along the way first. Punks, lawyers, doctors, policemen and criminals all fall by the wayside as Cordell tries to get to the final scene as soon as possible.
I can't say I blame him either. After a horribly laboured sixty minutes, Cordell spends most of the final half hour of the film in flames, walking and driving while on fire and wanting nothing more than to be put out of his misery by Davi and and his not at all conveniently written love interest.
In all honesty, Maniac Cop 3 really isn't much, well... cop. Although it does feature some interesting casting choices to help deflect from its lethargic pacing and time-filling flashbacks. Robert (Alligator, Jackie Brown) Forster turns up as a doctor, the aforementioned Jackie Earle Haley stinks the place up with his attempt at acting (how on earth did he become famous?), but the best casting has to be re-teaming of the two Agent Johnsons from Die Hard. Davi and the brilliantly named Grand Bush on screen together again, but sadly this time without any mentions of Saigon or Junior High. And on top of that? Yes, we even get Deputy Police Chief Dwayne T. Robinson (Paul Gleason) to complete the reunion.
Yes, it really was that interesting.
"What's the prognosis?"
"Stick her in a rock garden".
5/10
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- Darkweasel
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Ghost wrote:Masque of the red death is on the horror channel this afternoon so may check that out. I wonder if they cut films on there because it is still rated a 15 on dvd.
So weird to be watching films at set times again after so many years of dvd and streaming. Not used to having to plan ha ha.
Brilliant film!!
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Soze wrote:Ghost wrote:Masque of the red death is on the horror channel this afternoon so may check that out. I wonder if they cut films on there because it is still rated a 15 on dvd.
So weird to be watching films at set times again after so many years of dvd and streaming. Not used to having to plan ha ha.
Brilliant film!!
I just like watching it for that sample Theatre Of Tragedy used in that And When He Falleth song.
Re: movies
It's been Foreign Thursday/Friday with my mate because we generally avoid horrors with subs.
Troll Hunter: Entirely not what I expected, expected bullshit found footage movie. Instead got incredibly interesting mockumentary about trolls. 8.5/10
Men Behind the Sun: Google Unit 731. The japs did some fucked up shit to the chinese in World War 2. Includes video of a real child autopsy. 7.5/10.
Dead Snow 2: In english, but thought it would be in a different language because the first one was. Fucking amazing. Very reminiscent of troma. Just good, ultra-violent zombie fun. 8/10
Martyrs: The first hour and a bit in entrancing and, in places, incredibly uncomfortable. Really falls apart in the second half. Despite spending the first half making us realise quite how effective "filling in the blanks" can be, it then attempts to fill in the blanks. A shitty reason for the things happening to be happening, and generally awful ending. First half: 8/10, Second half: 4/10
Them (Ils): A home invasion movie that tries to keep the tension going for significantly too long with poor payoff. Lead girl is hot though. 6/10
Troll Hunter: Entirely not what I expected, expected bullshit found footage movie. Instead got incredibly interesting mockumentary about trolls. 8.5/10
Men Behind the Sun: Google Unit 731. The japs did some fucked up shit to the chinese in World War 2. Includes video of a real child autopsy. 7.5/10.
Dead Snow 2: In english, but thought it would be in a different language because the first one was. Fucking amazing. Very reminiscent of troma. Just good, ultra-violent zombie fun. 8/10
Martyrs: The first hour and a bit in entrancing and, in places, incredibly uncomfortable. Really falls apart in the second half. Despite spending the first half making us realise quite how effective "filling in the blanks" can be, it then attempts to fill in the blanks. A shitty reason for the things happening to be happening, and generally awful ending. First half: 8/10, Second half: 4/10
Them (Ils): A home invasion movie that tries to keep the tension going for significantly too long with poor payoff. Lead girl is hot though. 6/10
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Saw Blue Velvet last night, in the last ever screening at The Cornerhouse in manchester (a least before it rebrands/reopens as 'Home').
Really good film, like I appreciated it so much. But I just didn't really love it.
Really good film, like I appreciated it so much. But I just didn't really love it.
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- Darkweasel
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My favourite Lynch film.
Dennis Hopper is stupidly scary.
Dennis Hopper is stupidly scary.
Re: movies
I think it's the spitting that makes him so terrifying in that movie.
Re: movies
I love Blue Velvet but it's third or fourth in my Lynch list. Mulholland Dr is close to being my all time favourite movie and I definitely prefer The Elephant Man as well. I'm torn between BV and The Lost Highway next.
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No Eraserhead? Now that is a strange film.
“He likes having the ball, playing football, passes. It’s like an orchestra. But it’s a silent song. But I like heavy metal more. I always want it loud.” - Jürgen Klopp
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Soze wrote:I love Blue Velvet but it's third or fourth in my Lynch list. Mulholland Dr is close to being my all time favourite movie and I definitely prefer The Elephant Man as well. I'm torn between BV and The Lost Highway next.
My Top 5:
1. Blue Velvet
2. Wild At Heart
3. The Elephant Man
4. Dune
5. Lost Highway
Re: movies
Saw Wrong Turn because I got the boxset cheap in CEX. Completely forgettable "horror" movie. Only saving grace is it has the actress who played Faith from Buffy in it. Hopefully the rest of the boxset is a bit better.
Oh yeah, saw Zombieland recently too. That was actually pretty enjoyable. Had a few laughs.
Oh yeah, saw Zombieland recently too. That was actually pretty enjoyable. Had a few laughs.
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Wrong Turn 2 has Henry Rollins in it.
It's ace.
Wrong Turn 6 features a naked Roxanne Pallett.
I've watched that one a few times.
It's ace.
Wrong Turn 6 features a naked Roxanne Pallett.
I've watched that one a few times.
Re: movies
Darkweasel wrote:Soze wrote:I love Blue Velvet but it's third or fourth in my Lynch list. Mulholland Dr is close to being my all time favourite movie and I definitely prefer The Elephant Man as well. I'm torn between BV and The Lost Highway next.
My Top 5:
1. Blue Velvet
2. Wild At Heart
3. The Elephant Man
4. Dune
5. Lost Highway
DUNE???! I'm not massively keen on Wild at Heart either although it's quite good fun. Fuck it, I'm listing the lot
1. Mulholland Dr (my joint favourite film ever)
2. The Elephant Man (almost certainly in my top 10-15)
3. Lost Highway (probably top 50)
4. Blue Velvet (also in or around the 50)
5. Eraserhead (bizarrely brilliant)
6. Wild at Heart (fun but flawed)
7. Inland Empire (overlong, slightly tedious and too obscure even by Lynch standards)
8. The Straight Story (harmless)
9. Dune (a complete mess saved by some interesting visuals)
I've never seen Fire Walk With Me, keep meaning to watch Twin Peaks but never get round to it. Anyone tell me how important it is to see the series if you're going to watch the film?
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Sorry can't comment on Fire Walk With Me as I watched the TV series but never got round to watching the film.
“He likes having the ball, playing football, passes. It’s like an orchestra. But it’s a silent song. But I like heavy metal more. I always want it loud.” - Jürgen Klopp
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Dune is a complete mess but it's a beautiful looking complete mess. There's just something about it I've always loved. I even bought the sticker book when I was a kid.
Sting in a nappy? Oh yeah.
Fire Walk With Me is suitably mental but you really have to watch the TV series first.
Trust me. This comes from someone who didn't. I hadn't a fucking clue what was going on.
Inland Empire still makes my head hurt.
Sting in a nappy? Oh yeah.
Fire Walk With Me is suitably mental but you really have to watch the TV series first.
Trust me. This comes from someone who didn't. I hadn't a fucking clue what was going on.
Inland Empire still makes my head hurt.